Percy Jackson and the Prophet's journey
by Sauron2000
Summary: Jim, the Hunters and Thalia travel to the west in the hopes of saving the goddes Arthemis from her fate at the hands of the titans. On their way they team up with a friend in hopes of saving another person and meet an old enemy. An enemy who cannot be defeated by any weapon. An enemy who can only be defeated by his own consience and guilt. This is the second story in my series.
1. Konrad's message

**Hello, my name is Jim. There is a very high probability that you do not know me, my life, or the conspiracies which seem to enjoy following me. I am Jim, son of the god of Change; Tzeentch. Two****years ago my friend and cousin Konrad, son of Khorne, was captured by titan forces and killed. Yet he survived. I have spent my life ever since looking for him. I recently met another of my cousins, Sara, daughter of Slaanesh.**

**Sara joined me in my search for Konrad, but it was a trap set by the eldar. An eldar group captured us and brougth us to Commoragh. In Commoragh we were ambushed and Sara and I managed to escape. There I had my first vision of the future, and it was hardly the last. Sara betrayed me there, threw me into the warp while she sougth to climb the ladders of Dark Eldar society and become archon.**

**While I drifted through the warp I was saved by the god of laughter Cegorach. He told me about my ability to see the future, or at least possible futures. And how a choice would affect the entire galaxy. I left him and returned to my normal life. I found an excuse for what happened to Sara (not telling the truth) and went on with my life. Problem is that my visions began returning, and now they appear almost every day. It is driving me insane. But I begin to understand. I grow restless, for I know that the choice comes closer with every day.**

**Soon it will happen.**

A hooded man stood at the edge of the school and looked across it. There was a car coming up the road towards the school. Just as he had expected. He felt a psychic presence within the school. The car was closing in. Soon it was his turn to act. Inside the car was Annabeth, Percy and Thalia. He smiled at Thalia. He walked towards the car. As it rounded the corner into the school's area he stepped in front of it so that he was nearly crushed by the car.

But of course not. After all, he had planned it all. The car came towards him, but he stopped it with a simple trick of telekinesis. Percy's mother, who was driving the car, nearly got a heart attack, and Percy and Annabeth just stared at him. Thalia opened the door, walked up to him and kissed long and passionately. Of course the man kissed.

Thalia backed away, smiling and said "Hi Jim. Long time no see."

Jim smiled and opened Percy's and Annabeth's doors with telekinesis. H "At least you haven't seen me."

Percy looked like he was going to throw up after the telekinesis and said; "Dude, that's just creepy."

"I have to do something at night." Jim said and smiled, before kissing Thalia again. "I presume Grover is waiting for us inside. If my recon has been worth anything, they're currently having some kind of party."

"You did recon?" Annabeth asked as the group started walking towards the school.

"Of course I did, not physically of course. I used telepathy to read the minds of the pupils to get a look at what was going on." Jim said as he opened the doors into the school with a wave of his hand. Inside there were many rifles, axes, swords and all kinds of weapons hanging from the walls. "I presume you know the school is a military school."

"Then what're you doing here Jim?" Percy asked. Jim's eyes flared for a moment, something only Thalia could detect, before it disappeared again.

"Percy. I want you to know that I could pulp your flesh and send your soul into oblivion in the time it took you to reach for your sword. If you're referring to my investigation, then that is not your business." Jim said, walking onwards, uninterrupted. Jim felt the psychic presence growing stronger somewhere in front of him. Who could radiate that kind of power? Everyone appeared to be preparing some kind of weapon; Percy holding his pen (or sword), Thalia holding her bracelet up and Annabeth prepared to grab her knife instantly. Everyone except Jim. Or at least so it appeared. In reality; Jim was scanning everything with his warp-sight and was fully prepared to let loose a swarm of doombolts or crush an enemy under a billion atmospheres.

Jim closed the door behind them with a thought and walked onwards. Two teachers came out into the corridor, a male and a female. They both wore grey military uniforms and walked stiffly.

"Visitors? No visitors at the dance. You shall be e_j_ected." The man pronouncing the j in a very french way.

"We're not visitors. We're allowed to be here." Jim said, raising his hand and his eyes glowing. "Please walk on."

The male one looked suspicious, but followed the female onwards. Jim smiled.

"I don't even want to bother asking." Percy said.

"I will." Annabeth said. "What was that?"

"Telepathy. I simply planted some memories and influenced them into making the decision that made them walk away from us." Jim answered, but he looked like he was thinking about something. An instant later Grover came out into the corridor.

"Thank the gods you're here guys." He said.

"What's the emergency" Percy said.

"Three half-bloods, here." Grover said. Jim smiled and the rest just stared.

"Three half-bloods?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes."

"Any information on them?" Jim asked, looking at his watch.

"Two of them are siblings, a boy and girl. They are 10 and 12. I don't know their parentage, but they're strong. The last one is a boy, approximately 12 years, mother died on the birth-bed. Extremely resilient, but there is something odd about him, something I haven't seen before." Grover said. "Any ideas Jim?"

"Yes." He said, in a tone that told Grover that he wasn't going to get any more information. Jim had become extremely secretive since Sara had disappeared.

"How many monsters?" Thalia asked.

"One." Grover said. "He suspects but I don't think he knows." Grover looked at Thalia and Jim desperately seeking help. Percy felt jealous when he noticed, but he kept his head cold; remembering that Thalia was daughter of Zeus and had more real-life

"Very well then, we're ready when you are Grover." Jim said as he opened the door into the party. He took Thalia's hand and walked over to the dance floor. "It's been a long time since we were alone."

"Indeed." Thalia said, as they began dancing to the rhythmic song. "You're thinking about something."

"It's nothing." He said. Thalia laughed that soft laugh she only used when it was only him and her. She kissed him deeply and some of the students that were close to them paused to look at them.

"Still nothing?" She asked. He smiled and looked her deeply in her eyes.

"I have news from the east. The titans are mobilising for something big."

"Those are bad news, you should tell Chiron once we get back to camp." She said, but she noticed something in Jim's eyes. It was a flash of doubt. "What's wrong?"

"It's just… I haven't really been able to talk to Chiron after what happened with Sara." He said, holding her harder and closer to him.

"You have to get over that, it wasn't your fault." Thalia said.

"Thalia, you are the only one who knows the truth of what happened in Commoragh. You and I both know that if I had not been so harsh she would've-" He was interrupted by Thalia stopping and kissing him again. Jim kissed back, before saying "If you keep doing that I'm going to lose my status as man."

"We both know that you're plenty man." Thalia said, smiling. Jim shaked the thoughts from his head and smiled, before Thalia said. "But there's more isn't there?"

Jim looked like he was going to deny it, before events stopped him from doing it.

"Looks like something is going on over there." Jim said as the half-bloods they were looking for were leaving, quickly followed by dr. Thorn. Jim's eyes glowed in the half-darkness of the room.

"You get Percy and Annabeth, I'll handle this." He said as he began walking after Thorn. He levitated a few centimetres above the ground and eyes were glowing strongly now. The students started backing away from him. He floated outside. "Dr. Thorn!" He shouted in a voice that was no longer his own, it was deep.

Thorn looked at Jim with open mouth. "Who are you?" Thorn asked.

"I am James, son of Tzeentch. My friends call me Jim. My enemies don't have time to speak. Give me the half-bloods." Jim said, flying closer to Thorn.

"Why would I?" Thorn asked.

"Because if not I will rip your monster soul out and throw you into the warp." Jim said, before something strange happened. He felt his power draining. His flying came to a halt and he fell down some metres in front of Thorn. He felt limp.

Thorn looked at him and smiled. "Not so powerful now."

Jim's eyes slid shut and he had a vision. He looked at the C'tan shard. It was right in front of him in a dark room full of tools. As he looked the shard began glowing, at first not strongly, but in the end it was glowing more than the sun. Jim felt as though it was burning him. Then a man rose from the shard. He was laughing and his eyes were glowing with the same force as the shard.

Jim woke up in his own bed back at the camp. His left eye was blinded and he was in a world of pain. He felt someone holding his hand.

Zoë looked out into the cold night. The hunters had just come to the camp with a group of half-bloods. Among these half-bloods was Jim, Konrad's cousin. The thought made Zoë sad, since she had lived and worked with him for nearly a year. Seeing Jim in such a state was very reassuring. Annabeth had been taken away by the monster, but the three half-bloods Jim and company had been looking for were out of trouble. One of them had even joined the hunters. At least some things went well.

Her eyes detected something moving towards the Arthemis cabin. It appeared to be human. She grabbed her dagger and paid attention as it moved closer to the cabin. She recognised that it was Percy.

"I presume that thy have a good reason in coming here." She said.

Percy came up to her and gave her a CD. "Here, I was told to give this to you once I saw you."

"By whom?" Zoë asked, taking the CD.

"Its best if you find out by watching it." Percy said. Zoë walked towards the big house. She entered the entertainment room and put the CD into the disc-player next to the television and activated the TV.

Konrad appeared on the screen. Zoë took her hand up to her mouth to stifle a gasp. It had been so long since she had seen Konrad. His dark hair was neatly-clipped and his eyes were filled with sadness.

"Hi, Zoë. If you're watching this, then it means that I am dead and that I will have found redemption." He paused and looked at his pouch which turned into and axe, which was bloody. "The blood won't go away, it serves as an eternal reminder of the first _person_ I murdered. I still hear her voice at night, when all hope is lost. I can only find solace in you Zoë. The thought of you gives me power to walk another day."

He laughed a silent laugh and said. "I am so pathetic; I am too much of a coward to come to you in person to say sorry. And to say that I love you. Gods… that feels so good to say. Goodbye Zoë, may your immortal life last eternally. Just remember me at nights and think about my good memories while I burn in the fields of punishment." He said, before the video stopped.

Zoë was sobbing. _If he had come to me before he died, would I have accepted his apology? I am sorry Arthemis, but I would do anything to feel his embrace again._


	2. A scythe for any occasion

Michael looked through all the weapons in front of him. There were so many and they were so beautiful. Swords of all shapes and sizes, hammers, shields. He was in the smithy of the camp to pick out some weapons, since he preferred using weapons he himself had chosen. Behind him Beckendrof was toiling with something a sword, trying to engrave something in it.

"I still can't understand why you just don't use guns. Surely they're much more effective." Michael said, having licences on most guns. One of the perks at being taugth at a military school and being good with weapons.

"It's a tradition." Beckendrof said, without losing concentration.

"I'm serious, if Jim had used a rifle instead of magic voodoo he wouldn't be unconscious." Michael said, as he tried a swing with one of the great swords.

That seemed to make Beckendrof angry, as he slammed the sword into the water bucket looked up at Michael. "First of: it was psychic powers, not voodoo. Secondly: he isn't unconscious, just a little sick. Thirdly: don't talk like that about the guy who could've died trying to save you."

Nico tried handling a sword, but ultimately failed and dropped it on his toe (hilt first). "Ow!" He shouted.

Michael laughed the hard laugther he always got when one of the students would accidentally shoot someone. Beckendrof smiled as well.

"Maybe you should go over to the knives section kid." Beckendrof said. "I'll come over and show you some nice ones we've got." He walked over to a weapon rack and grabbed a knife. "Give it a try."

After what felt like hours Nico finally felt a little comfortable with a short sword. Now it was Michael's turn. Beckendrof led him over to the heavy weapons. He grabbed a longsword and let Michael give it a shot.

Michael wielded it in two hands like a true champion. But within some minutes he stopped his imaginary training. "Too focused."

"Very well then. You'll like this one." Beckendrof said as he handed Michael a broadsword. Michael decided that they should go out in the yard to test the weapons, so Beckendrof and Nico helped him put up some straw dolls to practice on. He cleaved into two parts easily.

"Too heavy. And too easy." Michael said and walked into the smithy again.

"How about this one." Beckendrof said and took out a dusty old warhammer.

Michael crushed one of the dolls with it. "Too cliché."

"I thougth he was a son of Ares." Nico said. "Now I think he is a son of Aphrodite."

Some hours later they had gone through all the weapons. Beckendrof completely gave up.

"I have no weapon that can please you!" He shouted and put the last thing they had tried, a giant spear, back into a dusty old cabinet no one had used for decades that stood at the back of the smithy.

"What is that?" Michael said, looking at something completely amazed.

"What is what?" Beckendrof asked.

"That." He said and pointed to a scythe at the back of the cabinet. It was completely black and decorated with a skull at the top. The celestial bronze of the blade shone in a dark way.

"That old thing? Just a tool a son of Hades made a couple of centuries ago." Beckendrof said. "You want to try that thing. No one have ever liked it."

"I could be the first one." Michael said and grabbed it. He took it outside and wielded it like a master, using it cut holes everywhere and murder all the dolls.

"I like this one." He said as he rammed it into the head of the final doll.

Jim looked out at the snowy camp through the infirmary's window. He was healing faster than any mortal would ever be able of. His psychic powers were only subconsciously active.

He was angry. He had sustained damage after he went unocnious. Three broken ribs due to being thrown by Thorn, poisoned by his tail and a serious headache due to his vision.

Thalia had been the first to greet him after he woke up and had rarely left his side when he was unconscious. She had rarely left him after he woke up. Now she was getting him some food. He was still unsteady on his feet and was quick to become nauseated.

He knew that he could fix himself quickly by using his psychic powers if he wanted to, but after what had happened with Thorn he didn't dare. It wasn't healthy to use that strong psychic powers and then get cut off so abrubtly.

He needed some time to not use powerful powers.

Annabeth had been taken away by Thorn, something Jim didn't like to hear. They had however gotten all the half-bloods. Jim was studying them from his vantage point in the window.

One of them, Nico, was pale and had black hair.

The other one, Michael, had grey hair and was tall and powerfully built. He wasn't muscular like Konrad, but had strong bones and the weigth in his arms to cleave a man in two if given the right weapon. Jim had seen him spar against some son of Ares with his scythe. He was impressive. There was something about Michael that was out of the ordinary, something Jim had to check when he left the infirmary.

Someone entered the room behind him. Jim heard the soft rumble of a wheel-chair and turned around to see Chiron. Jim looked at him and tried to make out the expression he had.

"Jim" Chiron said, keeping his voice passive.

"Chiron" Jim said, returning the favour.

"We have to talk." Chiron said and began driving towards the balcony, not waiting for Jim to follow.

"I agree." Jim said.

The balcony was cool in the morning sun and there was a table there with a bunch of documents. Many of them were listed as TOP SECRET, with some exceptions. Jim could see Michael and Nico sparring from the balcony and the campers riding horses and pegasi.

"Please, sit down." Chiron said, looking through his documents. Jim slowly sat down and looked out at the camp. There were fewer people than usual, but that was probably because of the fact that only few remained in the winter.

"Jim, you've been busy these last couple of months. Your tracks are all over the country. Any opinions, Prophet?" Chiron asked, eying Jim carefully. Jim's mouth opened and closed, before he regained his wits.

"How do you know me by that name?" Jim asked, looking Chiron deeply into his eyes.

"Military broadcasts, FBI, CIA… They all know you by that name. Their secret messenger in fighting the enemy. But which enemy?" Chiron asked.

"The titans." Jim said.

"The titans do not recruit mortals, so stop your nonsense." Chiron said.

"I have conclusive proof that the titans recruit mortals." Jim said.

"Next thing I know you have proof that Konrad is alive and well and that Sara has magically teleported back to the camp." Chiron said, looking through more of the documents.

"Percy saw him in the Underworld." Jim said, rising and looking at the hunters training.

"And he was teleported away… yes, yes. It was probably just one of Hades' tricks, and if it wasn't he was in enemy hands when he died the first time. The titans are intelligent enough to know that Konrad is a threat and have therefore killed him... again" Chiron said, looking at Jim, who was furious. "I have already told Percy to stop dreaming about it before he gets anyone's hopes up, no I don't want to listen to you."

"Say what you want Chiron. Konrad is alive and well. I know he is." Jim said, his voice cold as steel.

Chiron looked at him with judgemental eyes. "Whether you support the Titans or the Olympians the line is thin. Don't get caught in the middle."

"Now you accuse me of treason!" Jim shouted and his telekinesis threw many of Chiron's papers away. "This is madness, why would I fight for the titans?"

"You are warp-borne. It is in your nature.

Jim walked away from Chiron and back to the infirmary. He felt sleep coming to claim him. He had a lot to think about.

When he slept he had a dream. He dreamt his worst nightmare.

**Some days later**

Michael was ready for the upcoming capture the flag, he had been assigned to the defence since he was one of the new guys and that he was pretty good with a scythe.

Things were pretty silent and Percy was leading the defence so he wasn't really that afraid of meeting the hunters any time soon. Suddenly it seemed as though Percy decided to run for the Hunters' flag. The entire defence cheered for him as he ran towards their end of the forest. But some minutes later Zoë Nightshade came for us. She dodged Nico's frail attempt at hitting her and kicked him down, before parying both the Stoll brothers and hitting their faces. Beckendrof was on the other side of Zeus' fist so Michael ran towards her with his scythe.

He swung it at her but she dodged it. She grabbed her knife and prepared to jump at him, but he reversed his hit and brought his scythe back at her. She lost her knife in her attempt to parry it but grabbed her bow and jumped back a few meters. Michael and Zoë studied each other before continuing. Michael brought his scythe down in one fell swoop at Zoë, which might very well have killed her. If she didn't stop it with her bow and smashed her fist into Michael's face.

Michael fell backwards, his nose bleeding and at least one tooth broken.

"Does thy surrender?" Zoë asked.

"F*ck you." He said as he rose again, spitting his tooth out. The figth continued, and it didn't end quickly.

**Some minutes before**

Jim woke up at night and fell down from his bed. Thorn's poison made him feel nauseated and he threw up. He heard a soft thumping from outside his door. It was footsteps.

When he came out he saw something terrible, a mummy walking slowly outside. Jim had no idea how long he had slept, but he guessed that it had been a few days. He instinctively knew who the mummy was and decided to observe what the oracle was doing outside of the attic.

He followed it as it slowly and clumsily walked towards the forest. He heard shouts from the forest and felt the psychic backwash from the campers within the forest.

Jim heard Chiron shouting and it was as though the elements fought each other. Jim ran towards Chiron's voice, and came into a clearing where all the hunters and all the campers stood. Thalia was soaked and Percy was standing in a river, which was raging and roaring. Percy sent a wave crashing towards Thalia, but Jim stopped it with telekinesis.

"What on earth is going on?" Jim shouted. Everyone looked at him, or at least so he thought.

"Percy was a jerk!" Thalia shouted.

"What? I did what was right!" Percy shouted back, before preparing another wave. Jim crushed it with telekinesis and sent a telepathic message.

_Stop now!_

The Oracle came forward from the bushes and everyone shut up or mumbled.

_I am the spirit of Delphi_, the oracle said, telepathically. _Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python._

The Oracle looked at Percy, before turning to Zoë. _Approach seeker, and ask_.

"What must I do to help my goddess?"

_Five shall go west to the goddess in chains_

_One shall be lost in the land without rain._

_The bane of Olympus shall show the trail_

_Campers and hunters united prevail_

_The Titan's curse one must withstand_

_And one shall perish by a parent's hand_

Then Jim stared at the oracle. Then it continued.

_The lost son one shall find_

_In a wicked state of mind_

_The god's themselves will give him power_

_And he shall guard us every waking hour_

* * *

><p>Author's note: After a long time of bein lazy and not knowing how to do this chapter I finally got it done. The next chapter will be a lot easier for me to make and will hopefully be on schedule. I hope to finish this story before the 25th of March at which point I will be away for 5 months to the Pacific. Hopefully I will manage it.<p> 


	3. The journey starts

"Stop talking and lie still damn it!" Jim said as he tried to heal Michael. Jim had moved most of the beds in the infirmary out of the way to make a ritual circle for his healing. The circle was blue and it was as though each time you looked it moved slightly, trying to get the jump on you. Michael had been beaten to blood by Zoë, but had done everything in his power to do the same to Zoë, so she was lying on the only other bed in the infirmary. Michael's damage had been more severe, so he vent first.

"Fffhen do my fefh go fac "Michael asked. Zoë had severely damaged his mouth.

"Rigth about now." Jim said, removing his hand from Michael's forehead. Michael rose. "Sit down, I'm not done fixing you yet!"

"I'll fix myself." He said, as he put his disjointed shoulder back in place. "You're having a meeting and I am not invited. I'll go train with my scythe."

Zoë sat on her bed and waited for her turn but she couldn't resist looking at Michael's face as he walked slowly outside. There was a look in his eyes saying _I'll get my revenge_. There was nothing special in her eyes, which seemed to infuriate Michael as he walked down the hallway.

"Your turn Zoë." Jim said, waving her over to the bed in the center of the circle. Zoë could´ve sworn that the circle moved two centimeters. She lied down on the bed and closed her eyes as Jim touched her forehead and began sending his biomantic powers through her.

"Jim, I've thougth about the prophecy." Zoë said, looking him in his eyes.

"You're distracting me" He said, but he didn't tell her to stop.

"I want you to come with us to the west. Your powers will be put to good use and I'm sure we'll both find something interesting out there." Zoë said, and she could feel Jim's soul lighting up through the biomancy. "The lost son. We both know who that could be." Zoë was afraid for a moment as she felt incredible pain in her forehead, but it subsided quickly. Jim crushed Zoë with a hug that migth full well have been aided by telekinesis.

"Thank you gods! Finaly someone who thinks that Konrad migth be alive and well." Jim said and moved back again, "You're fine now. We should get to the meeting and disscuss this with the other guys." They walked into the silent hallway and towards the very loud commons room.

Someone had moved the big ping pong table into the center of the room so that everyone could stand around it.

It seemed as though the room had divided into three factions; those who ment that the hunters should go alone, those who meant that a unified band should go and those who meant that they should seek out the "lost son". All the while Chiron was watching silently. Zoë bidded Jim shut everyone up. Jim oblided.

_Everyone calm down!_

And everyone stopped talking and looked at the new arrivals. Jim took his seat at one end of the make-shift table, rigth behind Zoë. From his point of view he could just barely see Mr. D and Chiron.

"Why are we even figthing?" Zoë asked no one in particular. Some idiot Jim couldn't quite identify said "Cheez Whiz." Zoë continued "There is no time for talk. Our goddes needs us. We must leave immediately."

"And go where?" Chiron asked, but he already knew the answer.

"West!" Bianca di Angelo said, who had somehow been allowed to join them. "You heard the prophecy! Five shall go west to the goddess in chains. We can get five hunters and go."

"Not quite." Zoë said. "Jim must come with us as well. His psychic power and knowledge of the creatures beyond and enemies within will without doubt aid us greatly." Bianca looked like someone had hit her in the face, which for some strange reason nearly med Jim laugh. Someone whispered something, but Zoë saw it. "Speak up. There are no secrets here."

One of the Stoll brothers looked at her and said. "I just think that its weird that you want Jim near you now, when Konrad was so damn important to you before."

"Don't even mention Konrad." Zoë said and her face darkened.

Thalia took the word. "If Jim is leaving then so am I. I have been waiting months to be with Jim, and I'm going to be with him wether or not you like it." Jim knew he had to act quickly.

_She could be a powerful ally, she masters many weapons and has powerfull magic on her side. Pluss she is a daugther of Zeus and nearly 16. Imagine what kind of bargaining chip she could be__._ He sent his message to Zoë telepathically and hoped that she would consider. Some seconds later she told her decision, and the tension could be felt deep into the core.

"She can come with us." Zoë said. Percy looked up at them with jealousy.

"What about me? I am good with a sword and I'm pretty damn lucky." He said, looking deep into Zoë's eyes. It was as though Jim could feel the uncomfortable choice Zoë had to make; she could either bring him and not bring a highly trained and experienced hunter, or she could bring a hunter and crush his chance of saving Annabeth. And Jim of all people knew that Annabeth would rank third at best on the list of people to save. After some time she said;

"No. We must move quickly and another camper would just slow us down. If we fail we'll lose another year of war preperations." Percy looked away and was angry. Jim didn't need to be a psyker to see that.

"And we're already pretty far behind." Jim said. "But before we leave we have to analyze the prophecy."

"Of course. We've already gotten the first part and two of us will die. _The bane of Olympus shall show the trail_, which would mean that the monster Arthemis was hunting will show us the trail."

"Wait, Arthemis was hunting something? How did I miss that part?" Jim asked.

"You were unconcsious and I didn't bother with telling you." Zoë answered. "The next line is good as well. _The titan's curse one must withstand._ Sounds bad, but we'll just have to withstand it I guess." She said.

"Then there is the next part of the prophecy." Jim began. "_The lost son one shall find in a wicked state of mind._ I can mention a numer of people who that migth be the lost son. _And the gods themselves will give him power and he shall guard us every waking hour._ This narrows it down, but we should focus on rescuing Arthemis."

"Then it is set. You shall leave first thing tomorrow." Chiron said looking at Jim. Jim smiled at Chiron.

Everyone had left the meeting after that. When Jim returned to the chaos cabin for the first time in months, he found it clean and proper, just the way he had left it. No books thrown about, no clothes in massive piles in the corners. Even the sacrificial chamber was clean. Jim walked into his room and fell down on his bed, he hadn't rested properly for weeks. The black walls of the cabin reflected his black clothes as he took them off, folded them and put them in the corner.

He stood up and began packing for the journey. He only packed a dagger,a some black crusade books and some spare clothes. He put it all in black bag which he could easily carry. He heard someone enter, and felt arms hugging him from behind.

"Hi Thalia." Jim said, turning around and hugging her back.

"Ready to leave?" Thalia asked.

"Yes I am, hopefully I wont have to use it all." Jim said, dropping the bag.

"No you're not. There's one thing left." Thalia said playfully, stopping the hug and sitting down on Jim's bed.

"And what would that be?" Jim asked, raising an eyebrow and smiling.

"I'm gonna take a shower. And you're gonna join me." She said as she walked towards the showers. Jim didn't even think as he walked after her.

That nigth he had a dream. He was inside a dark room with crimson walls and chains with hooks hung on the walls. In the center of the room there was a man who was chained to the roof. He had long black hair, red skin and red eyes. Jim tried to walk over to the man, but was stopped when suddenly someone entered the room through a black portal of some kind. Luke entered the room and looked at the man in the center. He grinned like a fool. Another man followed.

Jim didn't recognise him. He was tall, had pale skin and his hair was remarkably long and the colour silver. He wore a black suit of some kind and on his rigth hand he had some kind of machine, which had needles, syringes and hooks all over it.

"Only you could accomplish such art, Alathonis." Luke said to the silverhaired man and walked over to the man in chains.

"He was a unique specimen. I could do practically speaking anyhting to him. He was clinically dead several times, sometimes for days at a time." Alathonis said as he injected a syringe into the man. "He is ready to do your bidding."

The man looked squarely at Luke, pumped with energy. His muscles tensed as the chains which held him lowered him to the floor. He was silent as Luke gave him instructions.

"Follow me."

Jim woke up in the morning, outside in the woods. Thalia was lying at his side, sleeping on his jacket. He looked at her and smiled, she made such a cute face when she was asleep. The peace was interrupted when he heard Zoë calling for them.

"Time to go." He said and woke Thalia.


	4. Internal and external conflicts

Author's note: I'm hoping to get a more detailed style of writing. Just to let you know. I hope to begin writing with more focus and clarity in the next chapter, since rewriting something is a lot harder than writing something.

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><p>There was no end to the arguing back and forth between Thalia and Zoë. Jim was tired of their endless chattering. Would they ever shut up?<p>

"Excuse me what are we talking about?" Jim asked as he heard some say his name. Thalia looked mildly annoyed at him from the back seat, sitting there with Bianca.

"Why Zoë is driving the car, you and me both look older than her." Thalia said.

"It's because I am older than you." Zoë said.

"But you don't look older." Thalia said, looking out the window. Jim was tired of the disscussion, they had litteraly used the same arguments over and over again.

"Before you guys open your mouths again, Zoë is the leader of the mission and the one the prophecy was assigned, therefore she decides our roles." Jim said, settling the matter. "And the next person who says anything about that, I swear to the gods I will throw that person out of this car."

Things were silent for a while after that, Jim trying to detect threats travelling towards them, Zoë driving, Thalia being bitter and Bianca just watching silently. It was kind of uncomfortable. But Jim detected something and for the tiniest instant he felt the presence of something he recognized. But it was gone before he could investigate it.

"I think it would be faster if I just teleported us there." Jim said, trying to start a conversation.

"After what happened on your last quest, I would prefer not." Zoë said, rather aggresively. Well, you reap what you sow, Jim thougth.

After driving another hour, Bianca and Jim changed seats. At least Zoë talked to someone now. Of course they talked about boring stuff and Jim couldn't really talk to them. Thalia and Jim just sat in awkward silent. She was beautiful today, he suddenly realized. She wore something more simple than normal, a gray t-shirt and black pants. Jim loved when she did that. She noticed him staring at her, and he smiled.

"Jim, we should focus on the quest." Thalia said and looked out the window again. Jim looked at her soul through his warp-sigth. The normal blue flame was dotted by black spots. There was something going on.

"Thalia, are you mad at me?" Jim asked. He saw the thing nearly taking over.

"Of course not." She said, and hit his shoulder. That thing in her soul was gone and replaced by the pure blue flame, so sure of cause. "Why would I be that?"

Something was definetly wrong, but it could wait, maybe untill they were somewhere more private. "Nothing, you just seemed like you were somewhere else."

"No, I was definetly here. Jim, how many times do I have to tell you? We can't all teleport." She said, joking and teasingly hitting his hand. Jim had a question he had to ask.

"Thalia, do you think Luke can be saved?" He felt her soul waver at the question. Thalia had a very strong soul, but far too open for his liking. Any daemons that felt like it could easily control her if it wanted to. But he was probably just being paranoid.

"I don't know Jim. Back when I knew him he was nice and friendly and helpful. But from your version of him, the way he betrayed Konrad and yourself. I really am not certain." Thalia said, avoiding his eyes. She oubviously had hopes for him, but Jim knew all too well that hope was the first step on the road to dissapointment. Had he not gone to Commoragh with some sort of hope? She looked at him, her penetrating blue eyes meeting his multicoloured eyes. "What about you, do you think he can be saved?"

"I have seen some of the things he has done. I am certain that he is beyond anyone's ability to save." Jim said. He had seen Luke capture Konrad, he had seen Luke torture prisoners in his dreams and he had seen Luke turn to Kronos. Who could save a mind that broken?

"Konrad did horrible things as well didn't he?" Thalia said, her voice cracking at Jim's words. Jim wasn't certain that he had heard rigth. "He summoned daemons and killed a huntress."

Thalia migth as well have punched Jim in the stomach. He couldn't speak as Thalia said it, and couldn't believe that Thalia would choose Luke over Konrad. It was someone else who answered Thalia's accusation. The car suddenly slowed down and nearly caused an accident as it rolled out to the side of the road. Zoë was furious her otherwise cold spirit nearly burning with barely contained rage.

"How dare you address Konrad like that?" Zoë said. "He gave his life protecting Jim! Remember that." With those words Zoë rammed her foot down on the pedal and some minutes later they were in Washington DC. 

Jim was still silent when they left the car outside the Smithsonian. Jim defintely felt a monster some where nearby. He glanced backwards and caugth a glimpse of the monster. He gasped as he saw Dr. Thorn. He kept his head cool and began walking faster.

"Where do we go from here Jim?" Thalia asked. Jim got his wits together and decided to focus on the mission and get away from Thorn. If he told the others they would get worried and attract his attention.

"In there. I can still feel some of her power." Jim said, pointing to the museum and walking forward. This had to be quick. 

While Zoë and her group goes into the museum, we turn our attention to another person. 

Percy made a decision, following Thorn instead of the Group. Thorn walked to the museum of Natural history, which was closed. Three guards stood outside, who identified Thorn and let him walk inside. Percy walked inside without problem, using Annabeth's cap on invisibility. Inside there was a big conclave of monsters. Percy instantly recognized Luke who was left to an absoluely gigantic man.

Percy focused on Luke's Group. Left to Luke there was a tall, beautiful man with silver hair, he wore dark clothes and his rigth hand was covered in spikes, syringes and knives. Next to him again there was a very tall man with red skin, black hair and a muscular body. It was Incredible that his feet could lift his muscles. He held two axes, and was chained to the floor. There was something very unsettliing about him, other than his obvious physical threat. Something that tore at the back of Percy's head. His eyes looked straigth through Percy and deep into his soul, if Percy didn't know better he would be certain that he could se him.

Thorn walked forward to the giant man on the throne.

"My lord, I return with good news. The demigods have walked rigth into your trap." Thorn said. Luke eyed him suspiciously.

"What demigods are we dealing with?"

"There is the hunter, the New hunter, the daugther of Zeus..." Thorn started.

"And?" The giant man on the chair interrupted Thorn, daring him to say the next one.

"And... Prophet." Thorn said. Most of the guards in the museum suddenly looked terrified, clutching their guns closer to their chests and keeping their fingers on the triggers.

"You cowards, I don't pay you for chickening out when we meet an old enemy!" The giant man shouted to them and they fell back in line. Thorn stepped forward, his ambition gleaming in his eyes.

"My lord, let me kill him. Prophet and I have unfinished business. I will kill him for good this time." Thorn said.

"Yes, maybe that is a good idea. I'll send in the lion to distract them while you lead a small team to terminate Prophet." The giant said, looking at Thorn. "Assemble your squad and finish the job." He turned towards Luke. " Luke, you told me the Warp-spawn wouldn't og with them." The he said.

"It makes little difference. Thorn will without doubt succeed in killing him." Luke said, with stressed politeness. " But I feel like we should test what the C'tan have given us. Was the virus useless?"

"NO! We will not utilize that half-monster you have created." The man said. "We have to win this on Our own. Continue with the plan. Get me the teeth!"

One of the guards handed the giant man some teeth and he sowed them in the dirt. Up from them rose a dozen skeletons and as Percy watched they got gray transparent flesh and military uniforms. Thorn left to a corridor, grabbing an SMG from one of the soldiers on the way.

Percy knew that he had to act quickly. The giant man gave the skeletons something to smell, but Percy ran over and grabbed it, before running for the exit. As he looked back at the skeletons, he saw that one of them were sniffing to a piece of his jacket. He ran quickly.

Alathonis smiled at this opputunity to test his creation. "Should I send him off?" Luke looked at Alathonis as though he was mad, since the last thing he wanted was to defy the General's orders. But if he could prove that the virus had succeeded in creating a super-soldier, he could cement the alliance between the Titans and the C'tan. It was madness not to do it.

"Give the general's plan a shot first, if that fails send him off." Luke said. 

Thorn moved towards his squad, their black armour completely indisinguishable from the dark corridor. There were five of them, with him as their leader. They had hunted prophet six times before, every time they had been denied their quarry through unfortunate twists of fate and deceitful traps left by Prophet. But now they knew who he was, they knew what he was capable of and they knew all his little tricks.

They knew that he had a pistol with ordinary ammunitoin under his rigth shoulder and a pistol with celestial bronze ammunition under his left shoulder, they knew of his powers. But he didn't know them or who they were. Thorn had always worn a mask when he led his squad, but now he was going to show Prophet his true identity. Thorn had loaded his squad's SMGs with ordinary ammunition, but he himself used another weapon.

After his last engagement with Prophet, where he had escaped his grasp due to the half-bloods, Thorn knew how powerful the C'tan shard was against Prophet. Luke, who had the shard in custody and was ambassador towards the C'tan, had listened to Thorn's ideas and agreed that a new age was dawning and that they had to adapt their weapons to figth the threat from the warp.

From a small bit of the shard, Thorn had created bullets and a small knife. When his squad had been debriefed on where Prophet was and how they were going to engage him, Thorn gave one last order.

"Do not kill Prophet unless an optimal shot is possible, I'll kill the bastard myself." He rammed the magazine into his SMG and began the walking towards the Smithsonian.


	5. Like kryptonite, but no copyrigth

When they entered the Smithsonian, Jim let out a sigh of relief. If he was lucky then Thorn hadn't spotted them. Now they had to get through security. Jim took the lead and walked over to the booth where they bougth tickets. A friendly-looking blonde lady smiled at him from the inside. "Hello, do you have your tickets?"

Jim smiled and said. "Yeah, just give me a second." He made a show out of looking for his tickets, before taking a note out from his pocket which was just an adress he wrote down some months before that. He gave it to her and made a small mind trick. She smiled and ripped of a small piece of the paper before giving it back. In the meantime Jim red some obvious thougths at the top of her head. Her name was Amanda, she was 29 years old and much more importantly he now knew where all the backdoors in and out of the Smithsonian were.

He entered the museum With the Group.

"Here we are. We must not dally for long, the monsters are rigth behind us." He said.

"How do you know that?" Bianca asked, eyebrows raised at the statement.

"Do you really need to ask?" Jim asked back.

"Just do your thing Jim, and quickly." Zoë said. Jim began searching the museum for hints of where Arthemis was going. His mind shifted through the trails, checking where she migth have gone. It was impossible to not read the souls of those around you as part of it. Bianca's soul was small and glew with a penetrating ligth, her soul was weak, but it had resolve. Zoë's soul was big and shone with that blue-white tint so common among the Hunters, but something was troubling her. Then there was Thalia's soul, orange and red in the backdrop of the Warp, it shone with the Power of courage and ambition. But her soul was trembling. Jim knew he had to make up with her before long.

Then he saw it, Clear as day; a trail that led west.

"I found her." He said as all hell broke loose. A jet dropped down from the ceiling, the strings attaching it cut by something. Jim didn't have a long time to react, but threw himself forward and just barely evaded the jet. He heard and felt a monster enter and noticed that he had been seperated from the group by the jet. It was a trap. Jim used his Powers to enter a heigthened state of awareness and then he saw them. Two figures armoured in black where on the top floor.

A moment of calculation told Jim that they had cut down the jet. One of them dropped into cover and the other grabbed an SMG and aimed it at Jim. Jim moved quickly, throwing himself into cover behind a wooden table using telekinesis to topple it over. He heard a three shot salvo and saw the bullets coming towards him. They slammed into the table, making big holes in it.

Jim threw himself backwards, grabbed one of his pistols and shot at his assailer. His acute awareness quickly scanned the area, several Places he could take cover, behind dioramas, models and columns. But he recognized the way these attackers moved. They were most likely surrounding him. He let his mind stretch to check and indeed he was rigth. Two more would be coming on the ground floor from the rigth and a third would be coming on the second floor behind him.

He was dragged back into the situation as a grenade was thrown into the room. He noticed the man he shot falling down, bleeding from the throat. The grenade was a fool's gambit, there were at least a dozen civilians in the area. Jim couldn't let them die. He formed a shield around the grenade, and the entire blast came towards him, throwing him to the wall. His hearing failed from the shock and he was Down for a moment. The two who came in from his rigth stormed in and ran to cover.

Jim threw a doombolt their way, hoping that it migth take one of them Down, while he jumped into cover behind a column and shot towards the one still remaining on the top floor. The doombolt's explosion made his hearing come back and he heard the screaming of civilians. With the flick of a wrist he opened a door for them.

_Go!_

The civilians began running for the door. Jim imbued his pistol with ethereal power and fired again. The last man on the top floor was incinerated by the blast and he began screaming as he fell Down, burning. Three left. Jim saw one of them running left to flank him. Jim spun around and opened fire, shooting Three shots directly in the stomach of the attacker. He fell into cover and was temporarily out of the figth. Jim shot two shots towards the other one on ground Level, neither of them finding their mark. He suddenly felt an icing pain in his hand and he went into cover again. The one on the second floor had shot his upper arm.

Thankfully it was only a flesh wound.

He used his psychic migth to summon a wave of flame which rolled towards the two on the bottom floor. He heard one of them screaming and felt him die. He was about to shoot the second one, when he heard the familiar click of a Magazine spent. He replaced it, throwing the spent towards his final assailer on ground floor. He felt through the Warp that his enemy was distracted for an Instant. Jim filled himself with the power of the Warp and ran with superhuman speed towards the enemy, rolling over him and his cover, before slamming his knife up his throat.

Jim heard him choke as he flipped him over. Suddenly Jim felt even more pain as he was shot in the legs and back. Jim fell down on the ground, paralyzed by the wounds. Time returned to normal as the shooter dropped down from the floor above him. He walked agonizingly slowly, taking in every aspect of Jim's demise. He stood above Jim and aimed his pistol straigth at Jim's skull, which at point blank would make Jim's skull explode.

"Any last Words?" The shooter said. First now did Jim get a proper look at his foe, his black armour not showing allegiance to any country. His helmet was off, reveiling a scarred face, with intense eyes. He smiled.

"What is the name of my killer?" Jim asked, his mind churning at the pain.

"Jack Winter, at your sercive." Jack was about to shoot, when Jim said something.

"Well... Jack, next time you kill someone... shoot before you ask!" Jim said as his hand went up inhumanly fast and he fired rigth through Jack's armour. The bullet ripped Jack's throat apart. Jim had imbued the bullets with the power of the Warp, so Jack's human armour didn't stand a chance.

Jack's corpse fell down, blood spraying from his throat. Jim rose slowly, healing himself. He could feel them now, the daemons, churning at his mind. They wanted him to kill more. Jim lost his senses for a moment, as he was bathed in pictures of blood, of a throne of skulls and of the lord of blood. He heard laugther echoing through his mind and his nose bled furiously. Jim rose slowly, but he was being attacked by creatures from Beyond.

Glasses were splintering around him, bodies were decaying and creatures with evil voices whispered.

_Silence!_

Suddenly all returned to normal, with the exception that Jim had a horrible headache.

Jim heard footsteps from behind him and he turned around to see a last man wearing black armour. Jim got shot rigth through the stomach and fell Down again. Jim suddenly felt another, sharper pain in his forehead. The man walked forward, laughing.

" So predictable... Prophet." He heard a familiar voice. "You're so mighty, but once robbed of your Powers you're weak." Thorn looked Down on Jim. Jim felt surprise and anger at this. "I've been hunting you for a long time, you know that?"

" Boston, Los Angeles and New York. You were the one hunting me?" Jim managed, his pain becoming greater.

"Indeed, but you couldn't know. But it feels good finally having you within my grasp, a prey has never escaped me, you know that?" Thorn said grabbing a grey knife. "Do you know what this is made from? What the bullet I shot you with is made from? The answer is the C'tan shard. It renders all Your Powers useless. You're probably using all your strength to stay awake now aren't you?" Thorn said.

Jim didn't dignify that with an answer.

"Of course you are. I can feel it too. It makes me weaker. But seeing how you react it is Worth it." Thorn said. "Are you ready to die, Prophet?"

Jim felt his regret and anger surface and tried to strike out at Thorn with the last of his Power. He jumped up with his second pistol and shot Thorn in the face.

Almost.

Jim felt another bullet flying through his arm and fell down again. The pain he had was doubled.

"I killed Your squad. At least I take some of you with me." Jim said.

"Mortals can be replaced." Thorn said, as he was about to cut Jim's throat.

Then a sword penetrated Thorn's throat and he screamed, before choking. As Thorn began bleeding Ichor, Percy dragged his blade out of Thorn's twitching corpse.

Then Jim couldn't sustain the pain anymore and he fainted.


End file.
